In one widely-used commercial type of liquid containing and dispensing package, a pouring spout fitment is positioned on the neck of the container and a closure in the form of a combined cap and dispensing cup is removably interengaged with the periphery of the container spout fitment. The fitment has an integrally formed axially protruding dispensing spout, and the fitment also has threads which are engaged by threads on the cap/dispensing cup.
For example, Reiber et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,421 (incorporated herein by reference) shows a plastic liquid containing and dispensing package which comprises a plastic blow molded container having an annular finish, an insert pour spout fitment positioned in the finish and interengaged with the internal surface of the finish and fixed thereto as by spin welding. The spout fitment has internal threads for threadably receiving external threads on an enlarged closure in the form of a combination cap and self-draining measuring cup. The cap/cup has a peripheral external flange adapted to sealingly engage the free end of the finish when the cap/cup is fully threaded down on the fitment.
Another example of this type of dispensing package is that disclosed in Haffner et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,202 (also incorporated herein by reference) which includes a liquid spout dispensing fitment for installation on a container neck and cooperable therewith to provide a drain back system (DBS) package. This fitment comprises a plastic body having an axial pour spout extending from within and protruding beyond the neck of the associated container. The fitment body has an outer annular apron wall spaced from the spout for catching spout spillage and for mounting the fitment on the container. An integral annular trench portion connects the spout and apron walls and provides a drain-back gutter. The gutter portion of the fitment is inclined with respect to the axis of the spout and has its lowermost portion aligned with the slot opening in a C-shaped portion of said spout. The fitment apron wall has an axial opening that defines a combined drain back opening and a near-empty pour out hole. The fitment is provided with container attachment means on the upper end of its outer wall for engaging the inner surface of the container neck. The lower portion of the spout is substantially smooth in an axial direction to facilitate drain back.
The DBS pour spout fitment for such containers is typically initially made as a separate component from the container component and these separately-made components are then permanently assembled together by a liquid-tight joint, such as formed by an adhesive bond, solvent bond, sonic weld or a friction weld (commonly referred to as a spin weld). Spin welding has certain commonly recognized advantages over such other methods of permanent joinder such as: (a) lower cost, since no bonding material is required; (b) rapid cycle times for automated mass production, and (c) does not affect recycling concerns.
However, the friction welding operation is disadvantageous in that it generates plastic shavings and/or melt slag. If the plastic shavings and/or slag are not collected and retained, they may either fall into the container, and potentially contaminate the contents therein, or otherwise be seen by and present an objectionable appearance to the package end user.
One approach to solving this problem of the friction welded shavings is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,239 wherein the pour spout is made integrally with the container neck and body and is encircled by a separate cylindrical liquid spill-retaining collar affixed by friction or spin welding and that cooperates with annular drain channels in the container neck to provide liquid drain back channels as well as serving as flash traps to collect plastic shavings generated by the friction welding process.